18 feb

The conflict in Syria increasingly involves foreign-backed mercenaries and Islamist radicals, including Salafists.
A report issued by human rights experts of the United Nations Monday named four Islamist groups operating in Damascus and Idlib province.

The EU foreign ministers agreed to extend sanctions against Syria for another three months at an EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
They also agreed to extend an arms embargo to prevent the rebels from getting weapons from overseas.
However, the countries split over the issue – thus, the UK and France backed a partial lift while others remained opposed to letting more weapons into the conflict-torn country.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says he is confident that the country’s Army will win the conflict against the foreign-backed militants who are fighting the government.Assad’s remarks, made during a meeting with a number of Lebanese officials in Damascus, were published in Lebanon’s As-Safir newspaper.
”We are sure we will win, we are reassured by the political and military developments,” the paper quoted the Syrian president as telling the Lebanese delegation.